310 THE SEA. 



and told his people how that he had been farther south than any man living." At last 

 the wind was favourable, and he coasted northward, along- the American shore, till he 

 reached the island of Mocha, where the Indians appeared at first to be friendly, and brought 

 off potatoes, roots., and two fat sheep, for which they received recompense. But on landing 

 for the purpose of watering the ship, the natives shot at them, wounding every one of 

 twelve men, and Drake himself under the right eye. In this case no attempt was made 

 at retaliation. The Indians doubtless took them for Spaniards. Drake, continuing his 

 voyage, fell in with an Indian fishing from a canoe, who was made to understand 

 their want of provisions, and was sent ashore with presents. This brought off a 

 number of natives with supplies of poultry, hogs, and fruits, while Felipe, one of them 

 who spoke Spanish, informed Drake that they had passed the port of Valparaiso 

 then an insignificant settlement of less than a dozen Spanish families where a large 

 ship was lying at anchor. Felipe piloted them thither, and they soon discovered the ship, 

 with a meagre crew of eight Spaniards and four negroes on board. So little was an enemy 

 expected, that as Drake's vessel approached, it was saluted with beat of drum, and a jar 

 of Chili wine made ready for an hospitable reception. But Drake and his men wanted 

 something more than bumpers of wine, and soon boarded the vessel, one of the men 

 striking down the first Spaniard he met, and exclaiming, " Abaxo perro ! " (Down, dog !) 

 Another of the crew leaped overboard and swam ashore to give an alarm to the town ; the 

 rest were soon secured under hatches. The inhabitants of the town fled incontinently, but 

 the spoils secured there were small. The chapel was rifled of its altar-cloth, silver 

 chalice, and other articles, which were handed over to Drake's chaplain ; quantities of 

 wine and other provisions were secured. The crew of the prize, with the exception of the 

 Greek pilot, were set ashore, and Drake left with his new acquisition, which when examined 

 at sea was found to contain one thousand seven hundred and seventy jars of wine, sixty 

 thousand pieces of gold, some pearls, and other articles of value. The Indian who had 

 guided them to this piece of good fortune, was liberally rewarded. 



At a place called Tarapaca, whither they had gone to water the ship, they found a 

 Spaniard lying asleep, and keeping very bad guard over thirteen bars of silver, worth 

 four thousand ducats. Drake determined to take care of it for him. At a short distance 

 off, they encountered another, who, with an Indian, was driving eight llamas, each carrying 

 a hundredweight of silver. It is needless to say that the llamas were conveyed on board, 

 plus the silver. At Arica two ships were found at anchor, one of which yielded forty 

 bars of silver, and the other a considerable quantity of wine. But these were as trifles 

 to that which followed. 



Drake had pursued a leisurely course, but in spite of this fact, no intelligence of 

 the pirate's approach had reached Lima. The term " pirate " is used advisedly, for whatever 

 the gain to geographical science afforded by his voyages, their chief aim was spoil, and 

 it mattered nothing whether England was at war with the victims of his prowess or 

 not. A few leagues off Callao harbour (the port of Lima), Drake boarded a 

 Portuguese vessel : the owner agreed to pilot him into Callao, provided his cargo was left 

 him. They arrived at nightfall, "sailing in between all the ships that lay there, seventeen 

 in number," most of which had their sails ashore, for the Spaniards had had, as yet, no 



